


Winter Break

by MiniNephthys



Category: Chivalry of a Failed Knight
Genre: Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2016-06-12
Packaged: 2018-07-14 17:09:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7181795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alice doesn't return home over winter break.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Winter Break

**Author's Note:**

> Light novel spoilers for volume 4.

Hagun Academy, like all civilized schools, has a short break for the winter. Most of the students take that chance to visit their families, but there are still some faculty around for those cases where the students choose to remain on campus for that time

Stella’s excuse for not returning home, when she’s asked, is typical of transfer students: it’s too long a trip to be worth going back to the Vermillion Kingdom just for a week and some. She’ll see her father in the summer.

Ikki and Shizuku aren’t asked by anyone why they aren’t returning home for the holidays. Everyone who might possibly care already knows the state of their relationship with their birth family.

Alice, on the other hand, gets a few questions from her admirers about what her plans are for the holidays. She always gives a sheepish smile and the same reply: “Nothing exciting, I’m afraid! I’m staying here.” Then she changes the subject, before someone thinks to ask about her home.

“Everyone’s so nosy,” Shizuku says, after witnessing Alice excuse herself from a conversation of this type. The two are now walking along back to their room, with few other students in sight.

Alice shrugs. “It’s natural they’d be curious. Most people would rather go home than stay at school if they had the choice, and unlike you, my situation isn’t public knowledge.” She sounds perfectly calm.

Shizuku hasn’t asked about Alice’s family. She knows the kind of circumstances that lead to someone joining Akatsuki aren’t happy ones. If she asked, she thinks Alice might share some of the details with her, but…

“That’s alright. I already know about your family situation, so you don’t have to worry about that from me,” Shizuku says.

Alice’s eyes widen. “...You do?”

“I do,” Shizuku says, decisively. “Because your little sister, and her brother, and her brother’s fiancee are all staying at school over the break, so why would you want to leave your family for the holidays?”

Alice stares at her in silence for a moment, then begins to laugh. It’s not a mean-spirited laugh, but a genuine one like Alice rarely gives, and once she stops there’s a huge smile on her face. “You’re absolutely right! Ah… It’s been so long since I spent the holidays with my family, I don’t think I remember what to do.”

“We’ll help you,” Shizuku says. “I know my holidays wouldn’t feel right without you, and big brother and Stella are the same. We’ll get each other presents for Christmas like they do in Vermillion, and eat rice cakes for New Year’s like they do here, and we can do whatever they do where you’re from, too.”

“You’re too good to me,” Alice says.

“No, I’m not. It’s only fair,” Shizuku replies.

“Well, if you insist…” Alice starts to laugh again, more gently this time.

Shizuku tilts her head a little. “...You look happier than I’ve ever seen you.”

Alice’s answer is simple. “I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”


End file.
